24 more test positive for COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh; total count 332

Twenty-four more coronavirus cases surfaced in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, pushing the total number of infected people in the state to 332.

The count stood at 308 on Monday.

According to a medical bulletin, 12 of the fresh cases were linked to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi's Nizamuddin.

So far, 176 Jamaat members, more than half of the total number, have tested positive for the infection in the state.

The state authorities have identified around 1,600 people associated with the Jamaat, of which about 1,200 have been quarantined.

Among the fresh virus cases, 10 were reported from Agra; three each from Shamli, Basti and Firozabad; two each from Lucknow and Bulandshar; and one from Azamgarh, the bulletin said.

The state has so far reported three deaths--one each in Basti, Meerut and Varanasi.

At least 27 people have recovered from the infection in the state where 37 districts have been hit by the infection.

The maximum number of cases have been reported from Agra (62), Gautam Buddh Nagar (58), Meerut (33), Lucknow (24) Ghaziabad (23), Shamli (17) and Saharanpur (13).

Earlier in the day, Principal Secretary (Health) Amit Mohan Prasad had said that 6,073 samples have been tested so far, of which 5,595 were declared negative while the results for others were awaited.

The principal secretary said medical counselling is regularly being provided on the Health Department helplines 180, 1800 and 5145 but from today, a group of 100 people has been set up to extend counselling to those suffering from mental tension and stress.

Prasad said in many cases, reports showed positive result despite patients having no symptoms of the disease.

A new process is being started for the treatment of such patients on the instructions of the chief minister, he said.

In this process, a building near all district hospitals will be taken for the treatment of such people, thereby reducing the burden on the main hospitals.

He said at present, 75 per cent of the patients are those who have tested positive for the disease but did not show any symptoms of it.

Presently, there are 10,000 beds across the state for the treatment of coronavirus patients, he said, adding that additional 10,000 beds will be provided in buildings near the district hospitals.